Type-writing machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' L. S. CRANDALL.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

No. 414,296. Patented Nov. 5, 1889.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

L. S. ORANDALL. TYPE WRITING MAGHINE.

No. 414,296. Patented Nov. 5; 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC LUCIEN S. CRANDALL, OF SYRACUSE, NEV YORK.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 414,296, dated November. 5, 1889 Application filed January 16, 1886. Serial llo.188,734, (N0 model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LUOIEN S. CRANDALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Type-lvriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of typewriters in which the types are placed on the free ends of a series of levers or type-bars, said type-bars being arranged in a circle or are thereof and adapted so as to deliver their impression at a central common printing-point.

The objects of my invention are, first, to enlarge the functions of a given number of key-levers; second, to provide a means of more perfect alignment, and, third, to considerably reduce the number of parts heretofore deemed necessary in type-writers of the above-named class. 1 attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of my invention down to the broken line 00 90, from which line downward it is shown in elevation; Fig. 2 is a top view of the same with parts cut away, so as to better show the relations thereof; and Fig. 8 is a bottom view of the capplate, hereinafter described.

To the supporting-frame a of a type-writer is firmly attached a ring I), provided with certain holes a, chambers d, radial slots 6, and an annular mortise e, the functions of which will be hereinafter described. Surmounting b is another ring Z), provided with radial slots corresponding with e in Z) and serving in a general way to retain the parts supported by Z). Fastened to b and surmounting it is a cap-plate f, provided with a flange f which encircles and covers the mortise e in b. The cap-plate f is also provided with a circular aperture 9 at its center and a downwardly- 45 extending annular lug h, which is provided with a series of radial slots 72 for a purpose explained hereinafter.

In Fig. 1,"; and o" are designed to represent, respectively, the platen and inking-ribbon of a type-writer. In this instance the basket or inclosing basin-like frame in which are contained the type-bars 7c is not rigidly attached to the frame of the type-writer, as is usually the case, but is mounted upon a downwardly-extending shaft j, which is provided with a bearing in the supporting-bracket Z, and said basket, with the entire system of type-bars contained therein, is adapted to be rotated, for the purpose hereinafter shown. The upper edge of j is slotted to receive the outer ends of the type-bars k, and is also pro- Vided with an annular slot in which rests the wire ring k',which forms the common fulcrum of all the type-bars 7;, k being provided with a slot m, so as to drop down upon'k, and being also rounded on its upper side at m, so as to move freely under the cap-plate f and still be retained by it on At its outer end is is also provided with a flaring mortise or slot having a longer limb n and a shorter limb n. The free end of a T-shaped tongue 0 fits loosely into said mortise between a and n. Said tongue is loosely held at its rear end by its two ears 0, resting in mortise e of b, and is also secured by the edges of slot 6 in Z). 0 is pressed upwardly against 1) by a coiled spring 1) in (Z. A loop (1 also passes over 0 and down through 0, connecting with the key system of the type-writer by means of the stringing-wire q, as in type-Writers generally of the class to which my invention refers. lVhen q is pulled down by the depression of a key-lever, carrying the free end of 0 down also, said free end of 0, bearing in said mortise on it, causes 7a to deliver an impression upon t through i, as shown on right-hand side of Fig. 1, and, when the operator withdraws his finger from the key-lever, p by its retractile effort restores 0, and with "itq and 7c, to normal position, as shown 011 left-hand side of Fig. 1. The open mortise in 70 between n and n admits of a number of levers It being successively acted upon by one and the same tongue 0 in the manner just described by means of the rotary movement of j, heretofore alluded to, bringing said number of levers 7t successively into engagement with a given one of tongue 0.

In practice I provide a tongue 0 to three of levers is; but I do not confine myself to that specific arrangement, as it is obvious that it may be curtailed or extended. For example, if I provide my keyboard with twent -SlX ke *s answerin normall to the lowercase letters of a font of type, and provide the same number of tongues 0, I may provide three times as many levers k, and by simply rotating j the distance from one lever 7a to another, present an entire new set of levers k to be acted upon by 0. These may be capital-letters, whereas those upon the twenty-six type-bars normally presented to 0 were lower-case; and, again, by shifting j axially a greater distance than before I may present to be acted upon by tongues 0 a third entire set of levers k, which in this instance would be provided with numerals, marks of punctuation, &c. The twenty-six finger-buttons, being provided each with a letter of the alphabet which answers equally well for caps or lower-case, may also be provided withnumerals, &c., as is obvious, and so the one key-board of twenty-six keys be made triple in its function.

To communicate rotary movement to j for the two positions other than the normal position, as above, I have provided two elbow-levers 'r and r, which swing upon the fulcrum s, and at their working end push against a pin t, extending out from a boss 25 on the under side of j. These elbow-levers are provided with joints u, like those in the braces of a buggy-top, for the purpose of arresting their action upon t at the moment when they are fully straightened, and also that they may remain locked in that position. The elbowlevers are straightened by depressing fingerkeys connected with the lower ends of the stringing-wires (v. Swinging upon 5 is a T- 'shaped lever 10, the office of which is to unlock or return either 0' or 0" when straightened, as before described. It also is operated by a stringing-wire w, connecting with a key-lever provided for the purpose. Of course the operating of r, r, and 10 requires three extra key-levers in the key-board of the type-writer on which they are used. When r-is operated, t is thrust forward sufficiently to rotate j the distance from 74; (lower-case) to K, (capital,) as above. To insure that t shall not go too far, and that it shall also be held firmly in exact position when so moved, I provide on t an arm 00, with a hook or projection so, which swings into the path of a tooth 1 on 7' whenever 0' is straightened, to the effect that t is arrested and held firmly in' place until 1' is returned by w. The elbow-lever 4" engages t. at a point half-way from j to r, so that when operated it swings j twice as far as does 7",

thus presenting still another set of levers 7c to tongues 0, as above. The movement of t is in this instance arrested by the stop-peg ilreturn-spring a a, after each movement of t, returns it to normal position against another stop-peg z and retains-it there.

The cap-plate f, as before stated, is provided with a downwardly-extending lug h, which is provided with radial slots h. (See Fig. 3.) These radial slots correspond in number and position with tongues 0, and one set of levers 7t swings freely up into said slots when j is in normal position. When j is rotated by means of r, as before shown, another set of levers 7c is in position to swing up into said slots, and when j is moved, as above, by r still another set of levers 7c is in position to swing up into said slots. These slots are for the purpose of guiding the free end of 70, so that it shall deliver its blow with precision, and the delivering of the blows or impressions of k with precision as to locality effects what is known in type-writing as alignment.

It is well known that in type-writers of the class to which my invention applies the typebars from various causes become loosened and misplaced and so deliver their impressions erratically, making the letters of words to appear staggering or out of alignment. The means provided by me, as above, is designed to obviate and prevent said erratic results. By providing, as in this instance, but one slot h for every third type-bar it their number is so few as to enable me to extend them to within a very short distance of the impression-point, thereby rendering them efficient as a guide for the free ends of k. The type-bars being hung somewhat loosely upon 70, and their retaining-slots in j being also loose, there is little liability of It getting fast ,in h, even though h is made to fit 1c quite closely.

For steadying of j and exactitude of po sition as between it and b, b is provided with three friction rollers (one of which 17 b is shown in Fig. 1) set equidistantly around j, and which impinge upon a flattened annular projection 011 j.

Having thus described my invention, WhatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-' 1. The combination, with the containing basket, of the type-bars of a type-writer, substantially as described, means, substantially as described, for rotating the same, and means, substantially such as the arm w, having a projection w, the elbow-lever 0, having a tooth 'y,

and the stop-peg z, for arresting the same.

2. The combination, with the containing basket constructed so as to be capable of rotation, of the type-bars of a type-writer, substantially as described, means, substantially as described, for rotating the same, means,

substantially as described, for arresting the same, and means, substantially such as the spring a a and stop-peg z, for returning and retaining the same.

3. In type-writers, a cap-plate, substantially such as f, provided with a series of radial slots, substantially such as h, in combination with a series of type-bars greater in number than said slots h, constructed and arranged as described, so as to be capable of being successively brought coincident therewith, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The type-bar 76, having a rounded heel lIO or edge m',a slotted bearing or recess 1%, and a flaring mortise inclosed by thelimbs n and 97/, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the type-bar It, provided with the heel on and the recess m, the fulcrum-wire 7t, and the cap-plate f, for the purpose of retaining said type-bar Within certain limits, as set forth.

6. The containing-basket of the type-bars of a type-writer, constructed and arranged substantially as described, so as to be capable of rotation, in combination with a series of tongues or levers, substantially such as 0, set radially to said basket, less in number than the type-bars thereof and adapted so as to be capable each of operating several of said typebars successively when the same are brought into coincidence therewith.

Witnesses:

CHARLES M. CRoUsE, H. E. A. DOXSEE. 

